A B737-300 flight crew inadvertently taxied across a runway without a clearance.

Attributes
ACN	571874
Time
Date	200301
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3550 flight time type : 920
ASRS Report	571874
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared by the dca ground controller to taxi to runway 1 via taxiway J and to hold short of runway 4. I read the clearance back to the ground controller and again to the captain to place extra emphasis on holding short of runway 4. I needed to double-check our performance numbers, so I had my head down during the initial taxi. I looked up about 45 seconds later and saw that we were crossing runway 4. I double-checked with the airport diagram and asked the captain why he had taxied across runway 4. He said that it was clear to cross because he didn't see any other traffic. I waited for ground control to chew us out, but they just told us to contact tower. I apologized and the ground controller said it was no problem. I should have finished the performance review at the gate. I also could have waited until I was sure that we were holding short of runway 4.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 FLT CREW INADVERTENTLY TAXIED ACROSS A RWY WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED BY THE DCA GND CTLR TO TAXI TO RWY 1 VIA TXWY J AND TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 4. I READ THE CLRNC BACK TO THE GND CTLR AND AGAIN TO THE CAPT TO PLACE EXTRA EMPHASIS ON HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 4. I NEEDED TO DOUBLE-CHK OUR PERFORMANCE NUMBERS, SO I HAD MY HEAD DOWN DURING THE INITIAL TAXI. I LOOKED UP ABOUT 45 SECONDS LATER AND SAW THAT WE WERE XING RWY 4. I DOUBLE-CHKED WITH THE ARPT DIAGRAM AND ASKED THE CAPT WHY HE HAD TAXIED ACROSS RWY 4. HE SAID THAT IT WAS CLR TO CROSS BECAUSE HE DIDN'T SEE ANY OTHER TFC. I WAITED FOR GND CTL TO CHEW US OUT, BUT THEY JUST TOLD US TO CONTACT TWR. I APOLOGIZED AND THE GND CTLR SAID IT WAS NO PROB. I SHOULD HAVE FINISHED THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW AT THE GATE. I ALSO COULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL I WAS SURE THAT WE WERE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 4.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.